Elevator



A. C. CLARK.

ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2751920.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

S Q g a INVINTQR WZM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED C. CLARK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF To JOE SCOTT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Application filed August 27, 1920. Serial No. 406,383.

T 0 (ZZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED C. CLARK,a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to elevators and it has more particular reference to that type or class of elevator generally employed for the purpose of raising building material, bricks, mortar and the like to different floors of buildings during the course of their erection.

More specifically my invention has reference to elevators of the kind referred to in which ropes or cables are both employed for raising the elevator platform as well as for guiding or controlling the same instead of employing a wooden or other rigid tower structure.

The main object of this invention is to provide an improved construction of elevator of the type referred to which can be quickly installed in position for use at any desired altitude, as readily dismantled for transportation from place to place, while it can be easily extended to accommodate different heights as the building on which it is used progresses in erection.v

Another object of this invention is to provide an elevator of the type referred to with a landing platform and automatically controlled means for insuring the steadying of the guide ropes no matter at what floorlevel the elevator platform is stopped.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for safely supporting the elevator platform at any desired floor-level even should the hauling cable or rope be slacked out or break when the elevator is at a height from the ground level.

With the foregoing and other objects in view as will later on be more apparent this invention consists essentially in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully de scribed and more specifically defined by the appended claims.

In the furtherdisclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings constituting a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference designate the same or similar parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a broken sectional elevation showing my invention as conveniently arranged in position on a building in course of erection.

Fig. 2- is a similar broken sectional elevat on but taken at right angles to the preceding figure.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a preferred landing platform attachment adapted for disposition and use at any one or all of the various floor-levels.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same, with the steadying and supporting members shown in full lines in the normal position and in dot-anddash lines in operative or safety position.

Fig. 5- is a plan view taken approximately on the line 5-5 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6- is atop plan View of the elevator platform.

Fig. 7- is a plan view of theupper part of the elevator structure with the landing platform shown in dot-and-dash outline.

Fig. 8- is an enlarged detail view of one of the elevator cable steadying devices; and

Fig. 9 is a plan of the same.

Referring to the drawings the letters a, b, and 0, respectively represent the lower or ground floor, an intermediate floor. and the top-floor or roof-level of a building in course of construction, while (Z designates window openings or easements, and to wliich building my improved elevator is attached or connected for the purpose of elevating necessary building materials and the like.

Broadly speaking, my improvedelevator comprises four main and inter-connected parts and which for the purpose of this description will be referred to generally by the characters 6, f, g and h, respectively designating the hoisting mechanism, the elevator platform, the overhead structure, and the landing platform.

The hoisting mechanism 6 and which is arranged or located at the lower or ground floor a comprises a rectangular basal frame or platform 10 conveniently made of stout channel irons 11, secured together by connection angles 12 anda transversely disposed beam 13. Mounted on this basal platform 10 by cross-beams or channel irons 14 are spaced housings 15 connected by a tie member 16 and on said housings there are provided bearing blocks 17 in which are journaled the shafts 18 of an elevator controlling and a platform raising and lowering winding drums 19, 20, respectively, each of which is fitted with a ratchet-wheel 21 and pawl 22, for preventing back motion, and said winding drums 19, 20 may be manually or power actuated in any of the well known ways, handles or power drive connections not being shown as their attachment will be self evident to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains without further explanation or illustration.

The elevator platform f comprises upper and lower members 23, 24 respectively connected together by side walls 25 and each said member is provided with pairs of juxtaposed antifriction grooved keepers or rollers 26 for the purpose hereafter eX- plained; and the upper member 23 is cut out at 27 forthe purpose later on explained.

The overhead structure 9 comprises a skeleton platform or frame 28, including longitudinally spaced beams or channel irons 29, and the end beams or channel irons 30, suitably attached together by connecting angles 31. Mounted on and rigidly secured to said platform are a series of uprights 32 which support an upper frame 33, having transversely disposed spaced ties 34, having journaled therein sheaves 35 and preferably on top thereof I securely attach a pair of opposed angle-irons 36 which are arranged to have an overhang to one side of the overhead structure 9 as will be clearly seen on reference to Fig. 1, and between said angle irons there is journaled sheaves or grooved pulleys 37 over which passes the platform raising and lowering rope or cable 38, one end of which is attached at 39 to the upper member 23 of the platform f, the other end of said cable being coiled about and secured to the winding drum 20 aforesaid.

Transversely of the hoisting mechanism basal frame 10 there are arranged opposed channel irons 4O firmly held in place by end connecting angles 41, and having journaled therein sheaves or guide rollers 42 about which and the sheaves or pulleys 35 aforesaid passes the elevator controlling. and

7 guide rope or cable 43 now to be described.

Assuming the parts 6, f and g are disposed as shown connectedly in Figs. 1 and 2, that is to say with the hoisting mechanism 6 secured to the ground floor a and the overhead structure 9 vertically thereabove at the top floor 0, one end of the controlling and guide rope cable 43 is secured at 44 to any convenient part of the basal frame 10 thence passed under the adjacent sheave 42 and conducted through alining grooved keepers 26 in the lower and upper members 24, 23

respectively of the elevator platform 7 from thence it is carried up and over the vertically alining sheave 35 in the overhead structure 9 as indicated by the arrows marked 1, thus providing what may be termed one vertically disposed guide rope length 45. The rope or cable 43 is conducted thence transversely across the overhead structure 9 and downward over a sheave 35 through alining grooved keepers 26, and around a lower sheave 42 as indicated by arrows marked 2 to provide a second vertically disposed guide rope length 46. From this point the rope or cable 43 passes transversely across the basal frame 10 under a third sheave 42 up through alining grooved keepers 26 and over a third overhead sheave 35 as indicated by the arrows marked 3 to provide a third vertically disposed guide rope length 47.

The free end of the rope or cable 43 passes thence transversely of the overhead upper frame 33 over a fourth sheave 35 and downward through alining grooved keepers 26 and around a basal frame sheave 42 as indicated by the arrows marked 4, thus providing a fourth vertically disposed guide rope length 48. From the last mentioned basal frame sheave 42 the free end of the rope or cable .43 is passed through a pulley block 49 swivelingly connected at 50 to the aforesaid transverse beam 13 thence wound about and attached to the elevator controlling winding drum 19.

From the foregoing it will be clearly seen that no matter at what floor-level or elevation it is desired to clamp or fix the overhead structure 9, the guide rope lengths 45, 46, 47 and 48 can be readily accommodated thereto by simply unwinding or winding up the rope or cable 43 from or onto the drum l9, and when said guide rope lengths have been drawn taut a simple and reliable means is provided for guiding the elevator platform f during its ascent and descent. Still further I would here point out that by the provision of my improved elevator controlling and guiding means for use in connection with building construction the ordinary and expensiveto say little of their dangerous characteristics-wooden towers are entirely dispensed with and con sequently a great saving in time and labor is effected.

In conjunction with my improved elevator as hereinbefore described I employ the landing platform It illustrated more clearly by Figs. 3 and 4, said landing platform consisting of a substantially rectangular frame 51 preferably made of channel iron sections rigidly bonded by connecting angles 52 and having hinged thereon a trap door platform 53 the forward part 54 whereof projects beyond the outer end of the frame 51 and is shaped for passage through the cut-out part1 27 of the upper member 23, and to be lifted by the lower or floor member 24 thereof as hereafter explained. Journaled 'in end bearings 55 on the-frame 51 is=a transverse shaft or rolle 56 provided at one end with a ratchet 'dcvice'57 having a plurality of teeth 58 on one diametric half thereof, and a camlike-p0rti0n59 on the over half. Pivoted at 60 to that side of the frame 51 on which the ratchet device 57 is located is a pawl lever 61 having a lateral projection 62 for cotiperation with said ratchet device, and a pedal 63 by means of which it can be disengaged therefrom. Securely mounted in and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft or roller 56 are substantially right angled or bent rods 64 the normally depending arms 65 whereof carry weights 66 and the laterally projecting arms 67 whereof lie in the path of the lower or floor member 24 of the elevator platform f and.

when it is moved upward to the desired fioor-levelb for examplethe inner end of the floor member 24 of said platform will contact with the laterally projecting arms 67 and give the shaft or roller 56 not less than a quarter turn thereby swinging the depending arms 65 into substantially horizontal position beneath said floor member, and thereby constituting a firm support therefo during the removal of the material hoisted, or the loading of the elevator platform f prior to descent. Still further it is to be particularly noted that the provision of these angled or bent rods 64 provides what may be termed a safety device as the elevator platform f cannot be lowered until the pedal 63 is depressed to release the lateral projection 62 from engagement with the ratchet device 57. The normal and operative positions of the angled or bent rods 64 will be clearly understood from the full and dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 4. Still further it will be seen that in the event of an accident to the elevator platform raising and lowering rope or cable 38 or it becoming slackened out the elevator platform cannot fall by gravity unless some unauthorized person trips the pedal 63. Furthermore, should the shaft or roller 56 be given more than a quarter turn the lateral projection 62 will be caused to ride back automatically over the camlike portion 59 of the ratchet device 57 by eason of the weights 66 falling by gravity to their normal vertically depending position.

'Forwardly and laterally projecting from the aforesaid bearings 55 are eyed brackets 68 in which are journaled gravity fall steadying devices 69 shown more particularly by Figs. 8 and 9, said devices each consisting of a bent rod having a central part 7 0 for journaling in the eyed bracket 68, a laterally projecting forked arm 71 for cooperation with the adjacent vertical guide rope lengths '45, 46-and depending weighted arms 72. These gravity fall steadyingdevices 69' are so positioned that the opposed forked arms 71 will be always in the path ofor normally engage with the vertical guide rope lengths 45, 46 and it will be clearly understood'that as the elevator plat form f passes upward or downward said devices'69 will be rocked on their central portions 70 to allow-theplat-form floor 24 to pass and that they will be automatically swung 'back by gravity into rengagement with the guide rope lengths 45, 46 due to the provision of the depending weighted arms 72. Also itis to be noted that no matter atwh'at height the elevatorplatform f is to be stopped the-provision of the forked arms 71 insures the steadying of the guide rope lengths 45, 46 which'I deem a very important feature when my elevator is employed on skyscrapers as the guide rope lengths may be slightly swayed by high winds no matter how carefully they are adjusted and held taut by the winding drum 19.

From the foregoing description and an examination of the drawings it will be readily seen that by my invention I provide an exceedingly practical and efficient elevator for use by contractors and others when erecting buildings no matter how high they may be, as it will be evident to those skilled in the art that the overhead structure 9 can be bolted or otherwise secured at any desired floor-level, the landing platform h arranged and secured therein as by bolts 73 passed through the frame 51 and the channel irons 29, whereupon the elevator platform f can be operated up and down with perfect freedom and every possible degree of safety, the keeper rollers 26 insuring its absolute easy and frictionless travel. Obviously the overhead structure 9 may be mounted initially at an intermediate floor-level b of the desired completed building and the work up to that level completed while the iron work for the upper stories is being erected, whereupon it can be expeditiously detached and hoisted farther up, or to the roof level for the completion of the rest of the building operations. Furthermore, the many advantages of my improved elevator over the prevailing outside tower construction for building operations will be self evident, in that it is composed of but few and simple parts which can be readily assembled or disassembled, is easily adjusted to different heights as the building operation progresses, while it can be quickly dismantled and compitctly arranged for removal from place to ace. p Finally it is to be clearly understood that while I have described and illustrated the most practical embodiment of my invention at present known to me, reasonable modification and other combinations of the several parts may be had to adapt said invention to different building conditions without in any way departing from its spirit and essential features, the scope whereof is more specifically defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an elevator having flexible guideways, an elevator platform, an overhead structure, and hoistingmechanism, the combination of means for adjusting the flexible guideways to accommodate the elevator for use at different heights, a landing platform, means for supporting the elevator platform independent of its hoisting mechanism, and

steadying devices for the flexible guideways to prevent lateral swinging of the elevator platform when in use.

2. In an elevator of the type described, the combination of an elevator platform having antifriction keepers, an overhead structure for fixture at any desired height, hoisting mechanism for the elevator platform, flexible and adjustable guideways for the elevator platform connecting the overhead structure and the ground floor, a landing platform, means for supporting the elevator platform on the flexible guideways independent of the hoisting mechanism, and gravity fall steadying devices for said flexible guideways to prevent lateral swinging of the elevator platform when in use.

3. In an elevator of the type described, the combination of an overhead structure for fixture at any desired height, flexible and adjustable guideways from the overhead structure to the ground floor, an elevator platform adapted to traverse said flexible guideways, hoisting mechanism for the elevator platform, a landing platform, ratchet actuated means for supporting the elevator platform on the flexible guideways independent of the hoisting mechanism, and gravity fall steadying devices carried by the landing platform to prevent lateral swinging of the elevator platform when in use.

4:. In an elevator of the type described, the combination of an overhead structure for fixture at any desired height, flexible and adjustable guideways from the overhead structure to the ground floor, an elevator platform adapted to traverse said flexible guideways, hoisting mechanism for the elevator platform, a landing platform, a shaft carried by said landing platform and having a plurality of radially projectvator platform adapted to traverse said t flexible guideways, hoisting mechanism for the elevator platform, a landing platform, a shaft carried by said landing platform and having a plurality of radially projecting alining weighted and non-weighted arms, said weighted arms being adapted for movement into position for supporting the elevator platform, ratchet and pawl mechanism for limiting the movement of the aforesaid shaft, and Weighted gravity fall devices on the landing platform having laterally projecting forked arms for cooperation with the flexible guideways to prevent lateral swinging of the elevator platform when in use.

6. An outside elevator for building construction comprising, an overhead and overhung structure for fixture at any desired height, flexible and adjustable guideways from said overhead structure to a ground floor structure, an elevator platform adapted to traverse said flexible guideways 011 grooved keepers, hoisting mechanism for the elevator platform, a hinged landing platform, a rotatable shaft journaled on the landing platform supporting frame and having a plurality of radially projecting alining weighted and non-weighted arms, said weighted arms being adapted for movement into position for supporting the elevator platform, a ratchet and cam device on the rotatable shaft and a pedal releasing pawl for limiting the movement of said ratchet, and weighted gravity fall devices on the landing platform having laterally projecting forked arms for cooperation with the flexible guideways to prevent lateral swinging of the elevator platform when in use.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ALFRED O. CLARK. 

